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AUN/SEED-Net held the 11th Steering Committee Meeting and Year 2006 Annual Meeting back to back with the Field Strategy Meeting on 29-30 June 2006 in Bangkok to discuss field-wise strategies and overall project strategy for the next phase of the Project, which would start after the initial 5-year phase ends in March 2008.
Built on the achievements of the current phase, the future Project would aim at enhancing capacity of Member Institutions, contributing to industry and community through interdisciplinary collaborative research, strengthening engineering network, and moving towards the role of “ASEAN-Japan Partnership University of Technology”.
In addition to continued supports of JICA and the Japanese Government after March 2008, which were strongly expected by all AUN/SEED-Net members, the members also recognized a great need to contribute themselves to the Project to make the network sustainable. Hence, scholarship fund and cost-sharing for the Project operation, research projects, and other supporting programs would be considered by the members for the next phase.
It is hoped that with strong commitment and supports of JICA, JSUC, ASEAN Foundation, ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN University Network, the Governments of Japan and ASEAN countries, and Member Institutions, AUN/SEED-Net will be successful and sustainable in a long run.
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As of June 2006, AUN/SEED-Net has granted a total number of 337 scholarships to scholars from our Member Institutions, 256 of which are under the Master’s Degree Program, 47 under the Ph.D. Sandwich Program, and 34 under the Ph.D. Program in Japan. So far we have produced 93 master’s scholars and 2 doctoral scholars who had published 141 publications in total. Most of the graduates returned to their home countries to be faculty staff at Sending Institutions or to contribute to the countries in other ways. Some continued their study in doctoral level under AUN/SEED-Net programs. Another good sign is that the number of applications for the graduate degree programs for fiscal year 2006 increased by 17% compared with last year, mainly because of active promotions of Host Institutions among the Member Institutions.
In fiscal year 2005, we funded 100 Collaborative Research Projects with a total budget of USD 470,000 approximately. Special Equipment Support, equal to almost USD 400,000, was granted to facilitate research activities at Host Institutions. The Project also supported visits of 82 Japanese professors to participate in Collaborative Research activities and Field-wise Seminars, 35 faculty members from Host Institutions to Japan, 3 and 9 faculty members from non-Host Institutions to Japan and to Host Institutions respectively to jointly conduct Collaborative Research Projects. Totally, for fiscal year 2005, the budget from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) allocated to AUN/SEED-Net was as high as ca. 517 million yen.
Last year, AUN/SEED-Net also initiated the collaboration between Member Institutions and Japanese supporting universities (JSUC) to support human resource development for disaster management, in response to the Tsunami disaster in December 2004. The Workshop on Disaster Mitigation and Management, arranged on 3-4 August 2005 in Phuket, Thailand, was the first step of the Network to explore the possibility of interdisciplinary research collaboration.
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| Chemical Engineering: Moving Ahead in Partnership for Brighter ASEAN Region |
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September 2003 was truly an important month both for AUN/SEED-Net and De La Salle University (DLSU) when the first group of scholars in Chemical Engineering formally began their studies at DLSU. With this event, DLSU also formally took on the role as the hub for Chemical Engineering education under the AUN/SEED-Net program. The process had actually started about two years earlier when initial talks began. Finally, agreements were reached and memoranda were signed in late 2002 and the program was underway.
Initially the first five scholars came from Vietnam and Indonesia. Since then, twenty more Master’s and five PhD scholarships have been awarded. Students now come from two more countries: Cambodia and Myanmar. The original five students have graduated and of this group, two have returned to their home countries to teach and three are continuing with their PhD. Nine more are expected to graduate in September 2006 and there are presently three PhD students spending their one year in Japan under the Sandwich program. In the third group of students we have six going through their course work. Five have presented papers in the recent Regional Symposium in Chemical Engineering (RSCE) in Hanoi, Vietnam. In all, it is apparent that the first few years of the Chemical Engineering program of AUN/SEED-Net have been very fruitful.
 
It is the completeness of the AUN/SEED-Net program that has led to its comparative success. Not only are the students provided with almost all of the expenses needed for their studies but a full program of Collaborative Research; visits between the Host and Member Institutions and the Japanese Supporting Universities; Fieldwise Seminars and Special Equipment grants have maximized the educational opportunities for the students.
The Collaborative Research in Chemical Engineering has focused on the themes of Utilization of Natural Gas and Environmental Protection. Natural Gas is a good fit for research in the region as most of the countries in ASEAN have indigenous sources of natural gas while the Japanese Universities themselves are deeply interested in the topic. On the other hand, Environmental Protection Technology is a truly global concern. Under the Catalytic Processes for the Production of Syngas (Natural Gas) Research Umbrella, much of the work has focused on the production of synthesis gas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) from natural gas. The topics under the Environmental Protection Research Umbrella have been more diverse. These include studies on microwave pyrolysis of wastes, recovery of waste solvents and supercritical extraction of plant essential oils.
The AUN/SEED-Net program has provided many opportunities for interaction between ASEAN countries and the faculty of Tokyo Institute of Technology. So far, there have been 16 visits to Japan under the Short-Term Visit to Japan Program, 4 visits under the Visit from Member Institution to Host Institution Program and 8 Fieldwise Seminars. In addition, there have been a number of visits under the Japanese Professor Dispatch Program. When combined with the RSCE, the opportunities for a fruitful discussion and collaboration can give rise to a true network of Chemical Engineering educators in the region.
In the coming years, DLSU, with the cooperation of the member institutions and the Japanese Supporting Universities, expects to continue on this path. With the support of the JICA and the AUN/SEED-Net staff, we can expect more technically challenging research studies and more thorough instruction for the students leading, finally, to a better educated pool of professors in chemical engineering throughout the ASEAN region.
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| DLSU Chemical Engineering Department |
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| Prof. Abella and Prof. Gallardo of DLSU visiting Prof. Hinode and Prof. Kajiuchi at TIT under Short-Term Visit Program to Japan |
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| Prof. Niiyama of TIT meeting with DLSU research team consisting of DLSU advisors and SEED-Net students under Japanese Professors Dispatch Program |
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Chulalongkorn University (CU) has had the honor and privilege of hosting AUN/SEED-Net’s Civil Engineering program for over five years. The program has grown substantially since its inauguration in 2001 not only in terms of the number of students, collaborative research projects, and faculty exchanges, but also in terms of the closer relationships among member institutions. All of these lead to the significant advancement of quality graduate engineering education in Southeast Asia, which is the foremost objective of JICA in establishing the AUN/SEED-Net Project.
The Department of Civil Engineering will celebrate its official 90th anniversary in 2006 with a new department building scheduled to be dedicated in June. The new building will house under one roof our state-of-the-art research laboratories—Center of Excellence in Earthquake Engineering and Vibration, Fire Safety Research Center, Transportation Research Laboratory, and other advanced research units currently under development—as well as laboratories, civil engineering library, computer facilities, lecture halls, faculty offices, and administrative office. With this new facility, the department is fully prepared to take on the challenges of the future and is dedicated to enhance further the quality Civil Engineering education that the department is proud to offer to all AUN/SEED-Net members.
In February 2006, the faculty from our department paid visits to several member institutions, namely Gadjah Mada University, University of the Philippines, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and National University of Laos. And in March 2006, faculty members and students from Japan and all member institutions gathered in Bangkok for the Fifth Fieldwise Seminar. At the meeting, participants reviewed the progress and outlined the future of the field under the AUN/SEED-Net Project. Some ideas for the future out of the meeting include arranging annual international symposium in Civil Engineering with rotating host among the member institutions, and an international journal in Civil Engineering with rotating editorial board among the member institutions.
Now in its fifth year, it is clear that AUN/SEED-Net is on its way to conclude successfully the first phase of the project. The department is looking forward to continuing working closely with JICA, Japanese supporting universities, and member institutions to keep on fostering the ties, expanding and strengthening the collaborations amongst all parties. The future is bright and the department of Civil Engineering at Chulalongkorn University is ready for the challenges ahead.
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To stimulate human networking and encourage continuous collaborative research activities, now PhD students in Japan and alumni members of AUN/SEED-Net are eligible to attend AUN/SEED-Net fieldwise seminars in respective fields.
PhD students in Japan can attend one seminar during the 3-year study; while one additional seat would be reserved for alumni from any member countries on rotational basis.
Please contact the respective Host Institutions for more details.
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Ms. Siriporn Settakanpitak has joined AUN/SEED-Net as Program Officer since June 2006. She will be in charge of Master’s and PhD Programs within Member Institutions as well as alumni network establishment.
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April 24, 2006: AUN/SEED-Net hosted JICA National Staff Meeting at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, to deepen their understandings, discuss issues and further collaboration of the Project.
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May 19, 2006: Orientation was arranged at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, for new students in the first semester of 2006.
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May 22-23, 2006: Field-wise Seminar in Materials Engineering was held by Universiti Sains Malaysia at the Holiday Inn Penang Hotel, Malaysia.
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May 26, 2006: The 4th Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting was held at the Office of Commission on Higher Education of Thailand, with participation of the Commission on Higher Education, Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Embassy of Japan, Burapha University, Chulalongkorn University, and King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.
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May 31, 2006: New batch of AUN/SEED-Net students at Chulalongkorn University attended an orientation arranged by the University and AUN/SEED-Net.
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June 26-27, 2006: Chulalongkorn University hosted Field-wise Seminar in Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering at the Montien Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
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June 29, 2006: AUN/SEED-Net arranged the Field Strategy Meeting to discuss field-wise strategies and overall project strategy of the next phase with representatives of 9 engineering fields. The meeting took place at Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Bangkok, preceding the 11th Steering Committee Meeting.
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June 30, 2006: AUN/SEED-Net 11th Steering Committee Meeting and Year 2006 Annual Meeting was arranged at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. Main discussion point was the Project’s objectives and strategies for the next phase after March 2008.
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